warriorsfanficfandomcom-20200213-history
Death Prophecy: The Prophecy
Since you people never leave replies *rolls eyes* What'd ya think of it? Amazing! Good. Eh. Dear Lord. *dies* When Russetpaw is sent away to live with barn cats, a strange cat comes to the barn, claiming to be part of a Clan that Russetpaw had never heard of. She soon learns that her mother hadn't always been so honest... Prolouge The bright ginger she-cat was lying on a flat, wide stone, warmed by the sun. She purred and rolled onto her back, kicking her paws into the air. A butterfly flitted overhead; the ginger cat rolled to her paws and leaped up, clapping her paws, and caught the insect between them. She landed and peeked between her paws. She purred as the butterfly shot into the air and disappeared. The she-cat watched as two chipmunks chittered and tousled playfully across the river bank. Suddenly, the scenery changed; the sun seemed to darkend until it was black, the rays a bloody red. The river turned scarlet, and the meadow was suddenly alive with fighting cats. The two chipmunks grew and morphed into two fighting tabbies, snarling and clawing. The ginger she-cat dropped to a crouch, in fear, as the cats around her fought eachother. Then, the tabby caught sight of a strangly bright cat drifting across the clearing; it was a young dark ginger tabby she-cat with flowing fur, dark green eyes, and a graceful, lean figure. The ginger she-cat watched as the tabby strode, ever so gracefully, until she was directly under the bloody rays of the sun. Then, the ginger she-cat turned her muzzle to the sky, and when she spoke, the fighting froze. "One will become four, will become three in the battle to stop what has rightly done wrong." The young dark ginger cat looked away from the dying sun to stare into the ginger cats eyes. ~ ~ ~ Sunfeather woke with a start. She lay in her nest, panting, for a moment, trying to figure out why she'd woken. Then Sunfeather felt the sharp pains in her belly. The ginger tabby groaned. "Sunfeather?" The sleepy mew came from Silversky's nest. "My kits are coming," Sunfeather groaned, her flanks heaving. Silversky bolted out of the nursery and came back a moment later with the medicine cat, Snowlily. The white she-cat crouched beside the moaning Sunfeather, gently prodding her belly. Sunfeather shrieked; her flanks heaved twice, and Snowlily mewed, "There it is." Sunfeather lay on her flank as Snowlily licked her kit til it was dry and warm. She felt her newborn kits soft pelt brush her's as the medicine cat nudged the young kit to Sunfeather's flank. Lightningtail's scent announced his enterance. "She's beautiful," the pale gray tom murmured, licking Sunfeather's ear. "What are you going to name her?" "I don't-" Sunfeather cut off. She'd looked down at her newborn kit. Sunfeather's daughter was a dark ginger tabby with long, flowing fur. Chapter One "Russetpaw! Russetpaw!" The dark ginger she-cat lifted her head a little higher as her Clanmates cheered her new name. But only one cat mattered. Russetpaw scanned the cats for her mother; she found the ginger she-cat smiling at her, yet she seemed off; her eyes had a glazed, absent look, and she was leaning heavily on Lightningtail's shoulder. Russetpaw heart deflated; she'd hoped that becoming an apprentice would show her mother that she didn't need to fuss, but Sunfeather looked as worried as ever. The cheering died away as her Clanmates went back to their duties. Russetpaw was licking some dust out of her sleek, long fur, when a shadow fell across her outstretched leg. Russetpaw glanced up; her best friend since she was a kit, Scorchpaw, was grinning down at her. "So, we'll be denmates again," He purred as she got to paws. "Mhmm," Russetpaw replied absently. She was watching her mother for any signs of pride for her daughter, but Sunfeather was whispering urgently into Lightningtail's ear; his blue eyes were dark as he nodded once. "Earth to Russetpaw!" Russetpaw whirled around to see Scorchpaw glaring at her. "Yeah?" She groaned, trying to concentrate. "I asked you three times if you wanted to come hunt with me." Scorchpaw licked her ear. "Why are you so distracted?" "Nothing, I'm just...sure, I'll hunt," Russetpaw murmured, staring at her paws. Scorchpaw stared at her nervously for a moment, then nodded and bounded over to Blacknight, Russetpaw's mentor. The black she-cat padded over, and the three cats left. ~ ~ ~ Russetpaw was sitting, tail wrapped over her paws. The hunting had been scarce, only a few small animals per area, and Blacknight had suggested they split up. Blacknight had stayed with Russetpaw, and Scorchpaw had gone off to hunt in the clearing full of thorn bushes. Now, Blacknight had left her alone in a small ring of bushes to collect the prey they caught earlier by the big willow. Now Russetpaw was alone, and had the strong feeling she was being watched. She shivered and tightened her tail over her paws. Russetpaw whipped around when she heard rustling in the bushes behind her. She unsheathed her claws instinctivly as a dark shape slid through them. "Oh!" Russetpaw breathed in relief. "It's you, Scorchpaw." The big dark brown tom nodded. "What are you doing here? Blacknight's waiting for you at camp," he mewed. Russetpaw bristled. "What? She told me to wait here for her!" Russetpaw sighed and had hardly taken a step when the bushes trembled again. She turned, curious, as three cats padded into the small clearing; a tortoiseshell, a brown tabby, and a black tom. Scorchpaw shifted so he was blocking her from view. "Greetings," He meowed, voice hoarse. "What can I do for you?" The tortoiseshell curled her lip. "My name is Stacie, and these are Buck-" she flicked her tail to the brown tabby, who growled. "and Bruce." Stacie nodded to the black tom. "We're just stopping by, but we might as well warn you now." "Warn us?" Russetpaw hissed, stepping out from behind Scorchpaw. "About what?" "Tell your leader you've been warned," Stacie growled. With that, she turned, and the two toms followed her into the ferns, leaving the two stunned apprentices behind. Chapter Two Russetpaw and Scorchpaw staggered into camp a while later. Blacknight was pacing the clearing anxiously; her head snapped up as the two apprentices stumbled in. "Russetpaw! What took you so long?" The black warrior trotted up, and froze when she noticed Russetpaw and Scorchpaw shaking. "What?" "Three cats came to the clearing," Scorchpaw murmured. "They told us to tell Spottedstar that...that we've been warned?" It sounded like a question. Russetpaw nodded agreement, her eyes stretched wide. "We've been warned? About what?" Blacknight looked confused. "And who were the cats?" "They didn't tell us what we've been warned about!" Russetpaw burst in frustration. "And they said their names were Stacie, Buck, and... Fruce?" "Bruce," Scorchpaw corrected quickly. "Stacie, Buck, and Bruce. A tortoiseshell, a brown tabby, and a big black tom." Blacknight blinked. "I'll tell Spottedstar!" Blacknight whirled around and disappeared in Spottedstar's den. Russetpaw blinked and padded slowly to the fresh-kill pile, picked a mouse off the top, and tore it to pieces with her claws. Scorchpaw sat beside her, watching her tear the mouse up. "Something the matter?" He asked, flicking her nose. "No. I just...don't feel well, I guess. I think I'll go out hunting again." She rose to her paws, stretching her legs. "No," Scorchpaw hissed, blocking the exit. "I don't want you going out there alone, what with rouge cats running around." "I'll go with her." No one had noticed Sunfeather approaching, green eyes dull. "There, you see?" Russetpaw growled at Scorchpaw. "I'll be safe with Sunfeather. Now move!" Scorchpaw sighed and stepped aside, and Russetpaw swept past him. Be nice, a voice in the back of Russetpaw's mind scolded. He's only worried about you. He shouldn't be! Russetpaw fired back. He's not my father, thank StarClan for that''! So he shouldn't be worried. I can take care of myself.'' Can you? the voice asked in a small voice. Shut up and let me hunt! Russetpaw was about to pull herself through the bracken - she was fairly sure there was a mouse on the other side - when she realized Sunfeather was right at her side, keeping pace with her. "Oh, hey, Mom," Russetpaw meowed, screeching to a stop. "Why do you look so jumpy?" "What? Oh, nothing," Sunfeather mumbled, eyes darting around. Russetpaw shrugged and shoved between the bushes, sniffing. Sure enough, she surprised a mouse chewing a seed on the other side. Russetpaw killed it with a quick flick of her paw. She sat up, prey in her jaws, about to impress Sunfeather, when she heard her mother gasp. Russetpaw scrambled under the bushes to stand beside Sunfeather, and dropped her prey when her jaw dropped. Four cats were standing shoulder-to-shoulder in front of them, eyes cold and muscles rippling. Russetpaw reconized Stacie from their ecounter earlier in the day. "We warned you," Stacie snarled. Sunfeather opened her jaws, but before she could say a word, the four cats lunged forward. A small gray-and-white tom grabbed Russetpaw between his paws, holding her still while he battered her belly with churning hindpaws. Russetpaw yowled in surprise, and her panic kicked in when she realized she'd had no battle training at all. "Fling him off with your hindlegs!" Sunfeather screeched from the mass of cats on top of her. Russetpaw swallowed hard and brought her back legs under her. She tucked them under the tom's belly - he was too focused on giving her skilled low and skilled blow - and kicked them up. With a yowl of surprise, the gray and white tom was sent flying across the forest before striking a tree and falling to the ground. Russetpaw leaped to her paws, ignoring the sting in her belly, and sank her claws into the shoulder of a tabby cat biting her mother's tail. She dragged him to the ground and sank her teeth into his ear. He howled and flicked out a claws; Russetpaw tried to duck, but the claw snagged painfully in her nose. She hissed and scored her claws down the side of the tabby's neck. He growled when blood spurted from the cuts. The tabby slashed her ear before limping off into the forest. Russetpaw turned back to her mother. Sunfeather had chased off one of the cats herself, and only Stacie remained, her lip curled. Sunfeather was beginning to tire; it was obvious in the way her shoulders slumped and her legs shook gently. But before Stacie could take advantage, Sunfeather leaped at her, landing on the tortoiseshell's broad shoulders and clawing them viciously. Stacie yowled and threw her off. "This isn't over!" Stacie howled over her shoulder as she pelted away. "This is only the beginning!" ~ ~ ~ It was nearly dark when Sunfeather and Russetpaw dragged themselves into camp. Lightpaw squawked with surprise when she saw her battered Clanmates and pelted off to Snowlily's den. Russetpaw collapsed in a pile of leaves, panting hard as she stared at her belly; blood was still oozing from the scratches. Sunfeather was standing near the enterance, murmuring in a grave tone to Lightningtail, who was nodding seriously. Snowlily whisked out of her den and started to treat Russetpaw's wounds, muttering under her breath. "What happened?" Blacknight demanded, coming out of the warriors' den at the scent of blood. "We were attacked," Sunfeather growled. "Near the old Bush Line. Four cats. Russetpaw chased off two of the four." Her eyes glowed with pride as she looked at her daughter. Russetpaw looked at her paws, ears hot. "Ow!" Russetpaw complained as her belly scratches started to burn. "Sorry," Snowlily muttered, focused on her work. Russetpaw sighed when she saw Scorchpaw approaching, eyes dark. "Are you okay?" He demanded. "I'm fine," Russetpaw growled. BE NICE! Her inner-voice snarled. Russetpaw glowered. ~ ~ ~ "Psst!" The voice was harsh. Russetpaw lifted her head, blinking in the silvery light. "Wha...?" She mumbled tiredly, getting to her paws. She padded out of the apprentices' den, careful not to wake anyone, and saw Sunfeather's silohouette outlined against the bright moons' glare. "Sunfeather? What's up?" Sunfeather sighed. "Come with me, and be quiet. We're going out." Chapter Three Russetpaw stumbled after Sunfeather, her fur snagging on thorns and brambles the whole way. Somehow, her mother wove her way through between the bushes and trees as swiftly as a snake, yet not getting a single pricker in her pelt. "Mother!" Russetpaw gasped. "Where are we going? Can't we stop? My paws are sore!" Sunfeather glanced over her shoulder, then at the moon, and sighed. "Fine," Sunfeather murmured. "I'll hunt for us, you rest your paws." Russetpaw sat thankfully, licking the grit from between her claws. Not much longer, Sunfeather returned with her jaws stuffed with prey. Russetpaw blinked in surprise as her mother dropped a vole - the plumpest she'd seen a while - at her paws. Russetpaw had stooped to eat it when the bland scent hit her. "What-?" Russetpaw started, sitting bolt upright. Sunfeather looked up from her mouse in surprise. "We aren't in the territory anymore?" Sunfeather dropped her gaze to her paws and sniffed her mouse absently. "No, we aren't. I'm sorry, Russetpaw, but I can't tell you where we are going." Russetpaw sniffed at the air desperatley, but caught no scent of LeafClan. They must be, already, far out of the territory. Trying to hide her panic, Russetpaw munched on the vole. "Ready to go?" Sunfeather asked quietly when she'd finished. Russetpaw blinked and stood slowly. "That depends," the dark ginger apprentice retorted. "On what I'm ready for." Sunfeather grimaced and turned. "Come on. Try to keep close. I don't feel like having to drag you out of ever hole and bramble patche we walk past." Sunfeather took off into the trees, her tail streaming behind her. Russetpaw followed as quikly as her small legs would allow. It was nearly dawn when Sunfeather slowed again. "We're here," She murmured, her pace now only a normal walk. Russetpaw gratefully slowed as well, letting the cramps in her legs fade away. She hadn't even bothered to see where "here" was until Sunfeather stopped completely. In front of her loomed an old Twoleg barn, its walls filled with holes and cracks, the roof in pieces, and no door at all. "Jewel?" Sunfeather called softly at the gaping hole where the door should've been. There was the sound of soft paws on the floor, and a plain brown tabby she-cat stood in front of them, her eyes filled with warmth. "Hi, Sunfeather," The tabby mewed, brushing her muzzle against the ginger warrior. "Hello again, Jewel. It's time. I brought her." Sunfeather turned to reveal Russetpaw, who was cowering behind her mothers' legs. "This is Russetkit?" Jewel asked, her blue eyes bright as she looked Russetpaw over. Before she had a chance to defend herself, Sunfeather mewed, "She's Russetpaw now. She was given her apprentice name this morning. Er...yesterday morning." The ginger warrior looked up just as the rays of dawn spread over the top of the barn. "Oh, dawn already," Jewel muttered. "So, you've got a long way home, you'd better head out." "Yes, we should," Russetpaw mewed. She couldn't understand why her mother had dragged her out of the apprentices den at night just so they could visit a tabby named Jewel in an abandoned barn. "Russetpaw..." Sunfeather mewed, her voice thick with regret, sympathy, and pain. Russetpaw stiffened. "Russetpaw, you're not going home. You're staying here." Chapter Four Russetpaw's jaw dropped. "What?!" She screeched, her fur fluffing up. "No! You can't leave me here! You can't! I need to go back to LeafClan, with you!" Russetpaw thought of all her friends; Lightningtail, Lightpaw, Blacknight...Scorchpaw. All who she would never see again if she didn't go back. "I'm a Clan cat, not a loner!" "I know, Russetpaw, I know. You'll never truly belong here. But you need to stay. If you continue to live in the Clans...you'll be killed before you're made a warrior." Russetpaw stiffled a snarl. "How do you know?" She hissed instead, digging her claws into the soil. "Because I do!" Sunfeather snapped. "It's safe for you here. No one will know you're here. You won't be killed if you stay here." Russetpaw sighed shakily. "What about the Clan? They'll know I'm gone." "I'll...I'll tell them that we went out hunting early and a fox got you. Killed you and carried you off." Russetpaw gasped. "You won't even tell them the truth? You'll tell them I...I died?" Russetpaw's legs were shaking. "I'm sorry, Russetpaw, but it's to save your life. It's better this way." Sunfeather stepped forward and laid her muzzle on Russetpaw's head. "I've got to go. I love you. I'll visit as often as possible." With that, she turned around and loped off into the forest. Russetpaw had never felt so alone. Chapter Five Sometime later, Russetpaw heard Jewel clear her throat. She turned to see the tabby looking awkward. "I understand how strange this all must seem," she mewed when she caught Russetpaw's eye. "but let me tell you, it's best. Your mother wouldn't dump you here without any explanation if it wasn't for the better." Russetpaw swallowed the lump rising in her throat. "Would you like to come inside?" Jewel stepped to the side. Russetpaw drew in a sharp breath, knowing bawling and whining wouldn't get her mother to come back, and stepped into the barn. A white she-cat and a brown tom were sharing tongues near the right wall, in a ring of hay bales. "Izzy, Duke? Sunfeather's daughter is here." The white she-cat looked up, curiosity in her blue eyes. They were almost the same shade as Jewel's; the two must be sisters. The brown tabby stood and loped over. "Hi!" He chirped in a deep voice. "I'm Duke, and this is Isabelle." He nudged the white she-cat at his side. "She's my mate." He was beaming. "And our kits are somewhere around here...Hay, Sunny, Sadie! C'mon, come meet Sunfeather's daughter!" A ginger tom, a ginger she-cat, and a white she-cat slid down a haybale and dashed up to Russetpaw, skiddering to a stop just before slamming into her legs. Russetpaw pulled back slightly to avoid having her legs be smashed in. "Hi there!" The tom chirped, sniffing Russetpaw curiously. "I'm Hay!" The tiny white she-cat was crawling over her siblings. "Who are you?" The small she-cat asked, wrinkling her nose. "You smell of moss and mud. It's icky." "Sadie!" Isabelle scolded. "That's a rude thing to say!" The older cat looked embarassed as she swept her daughter away. Russetpaw just stared blankly at the cats around her. "Er..kits, why don't you show Russetpaw the haybales, help her make a nest?" The tiny ginger kit pricked her ears and bounded away to a bale. "Over here!" She called over her shoulder. Russetpaw followed, dragging her paws along; they felt as heavy as rocks. "Climb it like this!" The young she-kit jabbed a forepaw into the hay, packing it down with her paw to make a hold. She did the same with a hindpaw, then pushed herself up, making another pawhold, making steady progress. It doesn't look that hard, Russetpaw thought, padding up to the hay and jabbing at the haybale with a forepaw. it made an indent, but not as packed as the kits' was, and it gave way when Russetpaw tried to climb it. "Like this!" The ginger kit had slid down; she pushed her paw into the hay and patted the bottom of the indent. Russetpaw tried to copy her, and it was slightly more sturdy then before, but it kept coming apart under her paws. She made jerky process up the bale until she was resting at the top, slumped over in relief. The kit laughed. "That wasn't bad for your first try. I'm Sunflower, by the way, but call me Sunny. So...you make a nest like this." Sunny used her paws to make a deep hollow in the center of the peak. She shaped it, bending pieces of straw so they didn't stick up. Russetpaw stared at the hay. It didn't look comfortable at all. Sunny seemed to see Russetpaw's hesitation and leaped off the bale, scittering across the floor. She disappeared out the enterance and came back with a pitiful amount of moss in her jaws. The ginger barn cat clawed her way back up the hay and spread the moss over the hollow, forming a small, blotchy layer of green over the pale straw. "Sorry that's all there is," Sunflower murmured. "There isn't very much growing around here. Once this is soiled, you'll have to use bare hay, but you get used to it." Russetpaw closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Sunfeather will come back for you, She told herself. She will come back. You just have to wait for her. Russetpaw jumped down from the haybale and plodded over to the three kits, who were sitting in a loose circle and murmuring to eachother. "Hi, Russetpaw!" The tiny white kit - Sadie? - greeted her. "H-hi, Russetpaw stammered. "So...what do you do for fun around here?" Hay, the ginger tom, broke out in a wide grin. "Follow us," He growled. He dropped into a crouch and darted across the floor,towards a wide bale of hay. His sisters giggled before following. Russetpaw sighed and trotted after the barn cats. "What are we doing?" Russetpaw hissed as she came to a stop beside Sadie. "We're gonna go out to the field and scare the crows," Sunny whispered from Saide's other side. "It's fun!" Russetpaw had her doubts, but willingly followed the kits out of a hole in the barn wall out to the field. The barn cats had a brisk pace as they dashed across the open field, heading towards the overgrown corn fields. Hay seemed to be in lead, his two sisters at his flanks, and Russetpaw following close behind. "Hay, there's one!" Sunny murmured, nudging her brother and pointing with her tail to a corn stalk. A fat bird was sitting on it, pecking at the corn. Hay nodded and crouched lower, scooting closer to the stalk. When he was right under it, he leaped up, letting out a ferocious caterwaul. The crow sqwuaked with surprise and flapped its wings, too panicked to fly. Hay and his sisters fell onto their backs, waving their paws in the air as they laughed. Russetpaw didn't see much fun in frightening the poor bird off its post; it hit the ground before it took off into the sky. And they could have caught the bird, given themselves a decent meal. Then she saw another crow, sitting a few rows back. "Hey, there's another," Sadie chirped, rolling to her paws. "Russetpaw, you want to try?" Russetpaw hesitated, and the kits all wailed, "Come on!" Hay gave her a sharp nudge - he was strong, consdering he was moons younger than Russetpaw - and she dropped into the hunters' crouch. She stalked stealthily through the corn, until she found herself beneath the bird. With a screech, she leaped up. The crow called in surprise, but it was too late; Russetpaw had grabbed its wing with her claws and dragged it to the ground. She heard the barn kits gasp in surprise as she carried the bird - still alive and thrashing wildly - to them. Russetaw sat the bird down and laid a paw on its back, letting it wriggle and scream. The kits squealed and watched the catch with wide eyes, until Russetpaw bent her head and gave the bird a sharp nip behind the head. "Why'd you kill it?" Sunny whined, nudging the crow. "Because," Russetpaw mumbled, sitting back on her haunch. "You don't play with prey. You kill it and eat it, not scare it off." Sadie sighed. "That's why we aren't supposed to play this game," Hay muttered. "Momma and Pappa say that we scare off prey that can keep us alive." Russetpaw nodded. "Let's get back to the barn before your parents notice you're gone. You can tell them you caught the crow." She nudged the bird towards them, and Sunny picked it up with glowing eyes. "Thanks," The kits chirped before they lead the way back to camp. Russetpaw followed, feeling homesick for the feel of leaves and moss underpaw, and the shadey coolness from the trees overhead. "Momma!" Sadie yowled once they were back in the barn. "We went to the cornfields and caught a crow!" The snowy white queen peeked over the top of a haybale before leaping off, Duke hard on her heels. "Wonderful!" Isabelle purred. As she sat down, her kits kits jumping all over her, Russetpaw had to look away. She wanted nothing more than to go home, tell Scorchpaw she wasn't dead, and burrow into her mothers warm, soft fur. Chapter Six "I'm here for the little Clan cat. I'm here to take her home with me." "I told you once, there's no Clan cat here!" Russetpaw blinked sleep out of her eyes. It had been six moons since she'd been at the barn. She felt at home now. She no longer felt the need to escape into the forest. Russetpaw was an expert at mice hunting now, slept in the hay nests without any assistance of moss, and had the wiry, graceful build of the other barn cats. Russetpaw rolled and peeked off the edge of the hay bale where she shared a nest with Sadie. Duke's voice sounded irritated. Who was he talking to that didn't know she was a Clan cat? She couldn't see the brown tom, though, and sighed as she stood. Russetpaw prodded Sadie and slapped her fluffy tail over the young cats mouth before she could mewl a protest. "What?" The white she-cat hissed, blinking open irritated blue eyes. "Hush," Russetpaw warned. "Someone's here." Sadie's glare turned to a look of curiousity as the two cats slid off the hay. The ginger she-cat crept up behind the bale where Hay and Sunny slept, nudging it sharply to wake Sadie's siblings. Then she peeked around the mound of hay at the enterance. The tom standing there was easily the most beautiful cat she'd ever seen. He had a golden pelt that shone in the sunlight, and golden eyes. His back was one elegant curve. He was tall, with lean leg muscles, and his broad shoulders rippled as they flexed with impatience. But she'd never seen him before, he hadn't been a part of LeafClan when she left. "See? How can you lie when I'm looking right at her?" the strange tom asked, irritation plain in his voice. Duke stuttered. "What are you talking about? This is no Clan cat; this is Russet, Jewels daughter!" The huge brown tabby seemed frazzled by the young cats prescense, and Russetpaw wanted that changed. "I'm a farm cat now," The dark ginger she-cat vowed, her voice loud and sure. The golden tom's whiskers twitched. "You'll never be a barn cat," he protested. "Were you born here?" "No, but-" "Are you related to any cats here?" "No, but I-" "And did you know any of these cats before you came to the barn?" "No, but I just-" "Then you are not a barn cat. Russetpaw, right? You don't belong here. You need to come with me. I'll show you the way to our camp." Russetpaw was about to continue to argue when she realized what he had said. "Our camp, or your camp?" She asked slowly, suddenly weary of this cat. "I mean TreeClan's camp," He meowed, seeming impatient to be moving. Russetpaw laughed. "There's no such thing as TreeClan," she chortled, trying not to be rude. The golden tom rolled his eyes. "Yes, there is, but we don't interact with your LeafClan at all. We like to be solitare. Now lets go, I want to be back before nightfall." He turned and trotted off a little ways before turning back. "Come on!" "Why can't I go to LeafClan?" Russetpaw whined. The tom sighed. "You're dead to them, remember? Just come on, I'll take you home eventually!" Russetpaw felt torn. "Russetpaw?" The now ten moon old Sadie and her siblings were standing next to their father. "You're not really going, are you?" "I'm sorry," Russetpaw murmured, touching the small white cats ear with her nose. "But it seems I have to. Don't worry, I'll come back sometime." She turned to see the golden tom trotting off. Russetpaw sighed, and with a last longing glance at her new home, raced after him. The barn grew farther adn farther away before it disappeared completely. Chapter Seven This strange tom raced through the forest, a golden blurr against green. Russetpaw was a swift runner, but nowhere near as fast as him. She was far behind when he finally slowed, nearing a huge tree with big roots. They'd run far, very far, and it was nearly dark now. The tom padded over to the roots, and stopped, waiting for Russetpaw. She trotted up beside him, out of breath. "What-" "Don't talk," the golden tom hissed. "Just follow me and keep quiet." He padded down into a hollow between two roots. Russetpaw followed, and noticed a tunnel leading under the tree in the hollow. The golden tom stepped back. "Go ahead." The ginger she-cat gulped and wriggled into the tunnel. Earth scraped her fur on all sides, pressed in on her. She was soon out, the sun over her head and soft ferns surounding her on all sides. A heartbeat later the tom joined her. "It's been a while since I've been home," He murmured, stretching. "A few days. It took me a while to track you down." Russetpaw wanted to say something, but he silenced her with a glare. "Quiet. Just be quiet, and follow me." He used his tail to brush aside some ferns, revealing a passageway. He padded down the corridor, Russetpaw following quickly. They soon emerged to a huge clearing in the ferns, which was obviously used as a camp. Russetpaw couldn't believe her eyes. Another Clan! Cats were gathered all around the camp, sharing tongues and eating a variety of forest prey. They looked up with curious eyes as the tom padded across the camp, straight for a thicker section of ferns near the back of camp. The tunnel here was more narrow, dark and uninviting. "Sorrelstar's den," the tom mumbled as he stepped back, letting her go first. Russsetpaw swallowed hard and slid into the ferns, heard them swish shut behind the golden tom as he followed her in. She soon found herself in a small clearing, a nest in the corner and a small spring bubbling on the other side. A small brown tabby lay on her side in the center of the clearing, sharing tongues with a dark gray tom. She looked up curiously as Russetpaw sat, staring at her paws. "Goldpelt." The leader spoke slowly. "When you said you were going hunting, I imagined squirrels and voles and mice, not innocent ginger she-cats. Who is she?" The tom - Goldpelt? - bowed his head. "This is Russetpaw, Sorrelstar. The One." Something flickered in the tabby's green eyes. "Oh." She stood, the tom glaring at Russetpaw. "I didn't realize...but yes. Looking closely, she does look a lot like Sunfeather." Russetpaw felt her hackles raise. How did these weird cats know her mother? "She does, doesn't she?" Goldpelt murmured, sitting, and licking his sleek tail. "It took me long enough to find her. Sunfeather had sent her off to live with Jewel's family." Sorrelstar gawked. "Sent her to live with Jewel? What do you mean?" "She must have figured out the prophecy too, sent her there to try and protect her. I caught the scent trail - which, by the way, which was nearly six moons old and nearly impossible to find - and followed it there. I have to say, Sunfeather covered up her tracks well. But the barn cats were irritating me." He shook his broad head, and Sorrelstar gave a half smile. "Yes, well... Russetpaw, come here, quit acting like you're invisible." The ginger cat froze, only to be nudged sharply by Goldpelt, sending her stumbling towards Sorrelstar. The she-cat examined her through narrowed eyes. "I imagine this would all be very confusing, so I'll try to explain, but you must promise me to be silent until I am finished. Alright?" "But what if-" "Promise me!" "I promise!" Russetpaw squeaked, shrinking down. Sorrelstar nodded and settled herself beside the gray tom. "We are called TreeClan, I'm sure you've heard by now. Once, when I was deputy and Icestar was leader, LeafClan and TreeClan lived together, two Clans united together beside a lake. We met at a Gathering every full moon to share news. "Sunpaw, Lightningpaw, and Frostpaw were all apprentices together, when I was deputy. Frostpaw was big and bossy, but was tender and kind to Sunpaw. I could the two's future would involve eachother. But Lightningpaw hated Frostpaw - he was Sunpaw's best friend and highly protective. "They grew up. Sunpaw and Frostpaw became Sunfeather and Froststrike, and as I predicted, they fell in love. Lightningpaw became Lightningtail. Still, Lightningtail hated Froststrike. I'd always thought that Lightningtail had been in love with Sunfeather himself, but maybe, in the end, he really had just disliked Froststrike. "Froststrike became demanding and abusive. No one knew what was wrong with him, but Sunfeather seemed to know; she acted jittery and anxious all the time, would jump at the sound of leaves rattling in the branches. It was latter that he left the Clan completley, with no explanation." The leaders eyes grew dark, and the tom beside her nudged her encourigingly. "He had formed a pack of rouges. He was planning on overthrowing the Clans, to take over as leader, be the most feared creature by the lake. His group was very large and experienced. I learned that night that he'd forced Sunfeather and Lightningtail to join his group." She closed her eyes. "His group attacked. The Clans fought together, and we just barely managed to chase out the rouges. We caught Froststrike before he had time to flee. We banished him, chased him out whenever he tried to return. The night after the battle, the Clans turned against eachother. It was awful. Icestar was killed when LeafClan and TreeClan eventually fought eachother. TreeClan left the lake and found a new home far away from LeafClan.I went to recieve my nine lives. When I returned as Sorrlestar, my deputy Stoneslash told me Lightningtail and Sunfeather had disappeared the same night we'd found our new home. I didn't know what to think." She bows her head, almost guiltily. "No one ever told you that your parents were from TreeClan?" Chapter Eight Russetpaw could only stare, gawking, at the TreeClan leader. "N-no," She finally stammered. "I always thought..thought I'd been born in LeafClan..." Russetpaw felt like sinking to the ground, to let her knees give way. Goldpelt seemed to realize this, and slid forward, trying to get his shoulder wedged under hers. But when he stepped forward, she hissed, "Stay away from me!", pelt fluffed and claws unsheathed. The tom understood and stayed back, eyes dark. "We aren't going to hurt you," Sorrelstar pointed out gently. "We needed to bring you here because they'd found you." "They?" Russetpaw spat, not relaxing her stance. "Frosts' gang," Sorrelstar murmured. "Even after he was exiled from the Clans, he hid in the forest, close by, with his rouges. They were always there. They are the ones that are going to do you harm, Russetpaw. And they'd seen through Sunfeather's attempts to keep you hidden; they knew you were staying with the barn cats. They were going to hurt Jewel and Duke and Izzy and the kits if you'd stayed there, trying to get to you." "A few of them were hiding in the bushes when I came to get you," Goldpelt grumbled. "They don't know where the camp is, but they know that you're not at the barn anymore, so they'll leave your cute little friends alone. It'll rain soon, and erase our tracks; they won't be able to follow us here." Russetpaw nearly collapsed with relief; her friends were safe. Izzy and Duke and Jewel and Sunny and Sadie and Hay wouldn't be hurt. "Russetpaw?" Sorrelstar was trying to get her attention. "Hmm?" She asked, the same way she usually did when she wasn't really paying attention. "I think you should hear the prophecy...it is, after all, about you..." At this, Russetpaw's head snapped up. "What? I thought you were kidding. I can't be a part of a prophecy. I'm too...normal." Sorrelstar gave a crooked half smile. "Well, you are, and so are three other cats that we aren't sure about yet." Russetpaw could only stare in shock. "The same dream that was sent to Sunfeather was sent to out medicine cat, Fireberry. She was in this huge field, feeling peaceful and relaxed. Out of nowhere, the sun just...explodes. It turns black, the rays bloody red. And suddenly the clearing is filled with fighting, battling cats. Out of the middle of all the mayhem, a cat walked through the fighting cats, as casually as if she was walking through camp. And she stopped just under the dying sun, looked straight at Fireberry, and said, 'One will become four, will become three, in the battle to stop what has rightly done wrong.'" Sorrelstar seemed uncomfortable as she licked her chest fur. Goldpelt stared at his paws, and the stony gray tom kept his eyes on Sorrelstar. "Well?" Russetpaw hissed, paws pricking. "Who was the cat?" Sorrelstar finally looked up, her eyes dull. "The cat was a dark ginger tabby. It was you, Russetpaw." Hope you enjoyed!! Liked the first one? Book two is coming soon!! Category:Stargaze's FanFic's